Remembering Lt. Kennedy

Then-Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy aboard PT-109 during World War II. (Photo courtesy of the JFK Library)

When you think of President John F. Kennedy, you probably think about him as the commander in chief. But long before that, he was the commander of PT-109, a patrol torpedo boat in the Pacific during World War II.

Too young to know the story (or to have seen the movie)? Give it a read at Naval History and Heritage Command‘s website. In short, Kennedy received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for leading his crew to safety after a Japanese destroyer rammed the boat and ripped it in two. The crew swam to a nearby island and survived on coconuts and water.

While a nation looks back on the 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination, here are some links that give a glimpse at JFK’s time in uniform: